In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), breastmilk is refrigerated in standard breastmilk collection containers. Typically these containers have a volume of 80, 150, or 250 milliliters. The containers are commonly filled with enough breastmilk to feed an infant over a period of 24 to 48 hours. Breastmilk fortifiers are also added to this “bulk feed” as prescribed for the infant and mixed into the breastmilk. An amount of fortified breastmilk normally between 20 ml and 60 ml is then dispensed from this bulk feed for an individual feeding every 2-4 hours. Feedings in the NICU are commonly performed enterally. Enteral feeding of the neonate generally requires that the breastmilk be drawn into a syringe (e.g., an oral slip-fit or luer-type fit) from the collection container containing the fortified breastmilk. This syringe is subsequently used with either a gravity system or enteral feeding pump to feed an infant.
Nurses typically require two hands on the syringe to extract milk from an open collection container. With two hands on the syringe, a nurse has no hand available to stabilize the container of milk being drawn from. This can result in spilling of milk or other accidents. Mothers of premature infants often do not produce an overabundance of breastmilk, so it is desired to provide the neonate with all available milk.
In addition, prior to milk withdrawal, the exterior surface of the syringe may potentially come into contact with an unclean surface, perhaps bearing pathogens. This can result in contamination of the breastmilk supply when the syringe is then dipped into the collection container for milk withdrawal.